when / where / how are doubles legal?

[sandman2234]

I don't see doubles in my state often. Have seen the odd usmail contractor or fedex contractor with semi tractor and 2 shorty box trailers.. but that's about it. have seen tow trucks towing a truck that had a trailer.

the other day I say a truck pulling an RV, with a boat behind it. looked like a train coming thru town headed for the interstate.

soundguy

That set-up, though legal in some states is not legal in Florida. Even with my CDL&double/triples endorsement, I can't pull a camper with a boat behind it. According to the DOT officer(s) that I have asked about it, it HAS to be 5th wheel trailers and Commercial use only in order to do doubles in Florida. Not sure where or why Florida mentions "triples" because I sure haven't seen any of them!
I met a guy up in Lake Park, Ga that was dropping a brand new horse trailer at the
"Flying J". The reason was he hauled them doubles out of Oklahoma, dropped one at the Florida line, delivered one, came back got the second one and delivered it. On a couple of occasions I would grab the single trailer for him and bring it to Jax or Lake City (depending on where it was heading). He made it well worth my time to go up there because anytime I saved him could be spent either with his family or making the "double money" instead of having to do singles.
UPS hauls doubles also. Several of the grocery chains do also. I remember on the turnpike back in the ninety's seeing double 45 footers. Now that is a LONG RIG when you go to pass it. Don't know if they still allow the longer ones on the turnpike anymore. Most people are pulling the "pups" which are 27 feet long.
David from jax

 

[Dmace]

Dmace, Don't mean to be rude but i beg to differ with you a bit. I am a trucker by trade and haul a T T down the highway every day and the quote, " "doubles" they mean truck and trailer. "Triples" refers to a truck and two trailers. is incorrect.

I agree, by "they", I meant the link I posted. They seem to refer to doubles as a truck and trailer unless the law actually limits true doubles (truck plus two trailers) to 45 ft. I'm pushing 50ft with just my quad cab short bed truck and 27ft camper. This is referring to NH, other states seem to list 60-70ft.

 

[sandman2234]

I agree, by "they", I meant the link I posted. They seem to refer to doubles as a truck and trailer unless the law actually limits true doubles (truck plus two trailers) to 45 ft...
I'm pushing 50ft with just my quad cab short bed truck and 27ft camper.

I thought that MIGHT have been what you were suggesting when you posted the note about "they consider blah blah blah". I haven't looked it up LATELY, but Florida used to be 55 foot max lenght if bumper pulled, no limit on 5th wheel length. Don't quote me on that cause it has been 25 years since I checked that one.
David from jax

 

[Egon]

Could say a tandem gravel truck with a trailer be adding to some of the discrepancies noted here?

 

[Andrewnewy]

Think about those Trains down in Australia.:thumbsup:

Yea we get some good ones! Almost every second truck these days is a double or B double, a few triples and up north mostly 6 trailers is standard, just got to watch out when they decide to overtake on a two lane road!

If you get a chance google "Road Train" some very impressive rigs!

 

[Egon]

Yea we get some good ones! Almost every second truck these days is a double or B double, a few triples and up north mostly 6 trailers is standard, just got to watch out when they decide to overtake on a two lane road!

If you get a chance google "Road Train" some very impressive rigs!

View attachment 254764

Must take a while for the dust to settle!:thumbsup:

 

[Dirtball]

I know a guy who routinely pulls boats with F350 SRW 5th wheel + approx 28 foot flat trailer with a 24 foot boat on atrailer on top + another 20-24 boat on a trailer off the bumper. He delivered my boat this way coast to coast. Says he never gets stopped. These are not heavy boats= hi perf tunnels. The loophole is the 5th wheel. You can do truck> 5th wheel travel trailer> boat this way. Just not 2 tag trailers.

 

[not2old]

One trailer only in British Columbia, unless it's a commercial application where the insurance would be prohibitive for personal use.

 

[Joe H]

I have a doubles endorsement and thats bad enough. The pay rate isn't justified.

I knew a guy who drove for FedEx hauling triples. Paid $0.10 an hour more. Don't think that would cover my underwear costs/

Joe H

 

[Diamondpilot]

I know a guy who routinely pulls boats with F350 SRW 5th wheel + approx 28 foot flat trailer with a 24 foot boat on atrailer on top + another 20-24 boat on a trailer off the bumper. He delivered my boat this way coast to coast. Says he never gets stopped. These are not heavy boats= hi perf tunnels. The loophole is the 5th wheel. You can do truck> 5th wheel travel trailer> boat this way. Just not 2 tag trailers.

The guy across the street from me has a 2006 Dodge 3500 SRW Cummins and a 38' tri axle 5th wheel and he pulls a 21' ski boat behind that. We are in North Eastern Indiana and he has went as far as Florida. He also pulls quads on a 14' Single axle trailer in the hunting season a few states each way.

My next door neighbor had a 06 F-150 Super crew and he pulled his 28' Travel Trailer and a dual Jet Ski trailer behind it for a few years. While not as long as the guy across the street they went as far as Georgia like that.

At the Marina where I keep my boats and do a lot of business I see aprox 10 tandem pulls each and every weekend. Most of the time its BP campers and a bass boat or 20ish foot ski boat. Sometimes its a 30' cruiser and a couple of jet skis, ect.

As for the BP thing I have brought home from the factory 2 double stacks of 8 18' car haulers behind my F-250 and F-350. These were all BP and I drove though 4 states doing so with no issues. I see it done quite often here in Indiana with BP campers and trailers being delivered. Indiana is the camper capital of the world and the Midwest is where the vast majority of the utility trailers are made.

Chris